NORTH ATTLEBORO - The town's TV viewers will be able to choose between cable providers as early as this summer.

Selectmen voted Thursday to issue a cable license to Verizon, making it the town's second cable service provider.

The FIOS cable service will roll out in stages as Verizon strings up fiberoptic cable throughout the town. The town's first customers will be able to sign up for service in late June or early July, Verizon officials said, once work in their neighborhoods is complete.

Cable customers who live in areas with underground utilities or in multi-family homes of four units or more will have to wait longer than most because construction of the fiberoptic network in those areas is more complex.

Many of the provisions in the cable license are the same as those offered by Comcast, the town's current cable provider. Verizon is matching dollar-for-dollar the financial provisions in Comcast's contract, including a 4.5 percent surcharge that goes to the town's cable access corporation, North TV. Although Verizon customers will be paying the surcharge off the bat, it could be up to six months before Verizon has completed the work necessary to allow its viewers to see the programming on North TV's three cable access stations.

Selectmen approved the license 4-0, with Selectman John Rhyno abstaining because his wife is the president of the North TV board.

Selectmen Chairman Paul Belham said he is concerned about a provision in the contract that says Verizon does not need a local customer service office until it has 5,000 customers living in the three towns of North Attleboro, Plainville and Wrentham. He urged Verizon to set up a local office more quickly.

Wrentham approved a cable license with Verizon on Tuesday.